Friday, March 21, 2008

I was walking my 4 miles the other day and listening to my ipod when this song came up, I Go Back by Kenny Chesney. I have always liked this song and a portion of the lyrics got my attention. "we all have a song that somehow stamped our lives, that takes us back to another place and time".I started to think about the songs that have stamped my life. After all I have 4 miles to cover, what else is there to do? With a little thought I came up with three songs that can take me back to another place and time of my life.

The first song is Precious & Few by Climax. As a family we spent a lot of time at Grandma W's cottage at the lake. I can clearly remember a drive back one night from her cottage. I even remember where we were on that drive home that night when this song came on the radio. We were coming back in the truck. Yes, probably all 6 of us in a truck. And this was in the days when the cab was just a cab. There were no such things as extended cabs with extra seating room. I can't remember if it had a bench seat or not but there was a small space behind the seats that if you small enough you could squeeze in and sit on the floor. I remember being smashed on the floor of that truck when this song came on the radio. Why I would remember this and why it stuck with me I don't know. But it did, and when I hear that song I am sitting on the floor of that truck driving home from a day at Grandma's house.

Crimson & Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells. We grew up in a house without a record player and probably until we were in high school no radio to call our own. When our mother had her radio on it was tuned to a Mt. Pleasant station that played oldies. And at night it was Lawrence Welk and Ed Sullivan. But by high school we had access to the music we wanted to listen to. We had an 8 track player! For the punk readers, 8 tracks were the answer to albums. In those days, listening to 8 tracks meant listening to the music all the way through and praying the player wouldn't "eat" the tape. There was no rewinding back then. I can still remember standing in the living room facing the bookcase (different bookcase, same spot) playing our 8 track of Tommy James. I loved that song, maybe because it was a change from what we had listened to growing up. We were rock and rollers listening to our music.

And the last song that defines a specific time in my life is Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. That time was my time at Tech. I don't remember if it was my brother and D's dorm's hall dances or if they were parties put together by the smaller group they had formed called the FWADS. (Yes, my not that much younger brother it isn't spelled right). But this song was always played. We were so young then but we didn't know it and didn't care. I had a boyfriend and we had a group of friends that did everything together. It was a time of freedom. It's not a song that is played that often anymore but when I do happen to hear it I go back to my time at Tech.

So do you have any songs that can take you back to another place and time? Share them if you do. I would like to hear what songs hold some meaning about your life. And now I will let Kenny say what I have not so eloquently tried to say.

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comments....porters always have something to say!:

It was an ElCamino truck. Two (you and Chris) on milk crates behind the seat, Carl in between mom and dad and me sitting between mom's legs. No seatbelts.

Mom's first 8-tracks: Cher (Half Breed), Jesus Christ Superstar (still love it) and the other must be the one you remember. AND I remember when Chris got a turntable. That where the Eagle's, Boston and Foreigner came in.

Specific song? Lookin' Out My Back Door -- CCR. Come on, a little tambourines and elephants all playin' in the band" ... and where is the memory tied to -- Horden's. Hangin' out at their house. {good times}

Oh, and the song that was ruined for me for all eternity: Mony, Mony. That takes me back to chaperoning high school dances. Those punks added some words that aren't really in that song! Oh, Mrs. Sorenson was mad and made them stop the song.